South Africa got off to a wining start at the Adelaide Sevens with a 28-7 victory over the Cook Islands in their first Pool D game.

Paul Treu’s men failed to really kick into top gear in the first stanza, but still came away with a 14-0 half-time lead through two Robert Ebersohn tries.

The Cook Islanders eventually got on the scoreboard in the second half, but two more tries for the Bok Sevens made sure of the result.

In the day’s other major results Kenya beat a plucky Japan side 12-5, while both Fiji and New Zealand began with wins over Scotland and Wales respectively. The day’s only major upset came in Pool A where hosts Australia stunned England 21-17.